Begonia plant named ‘Betulia Candy’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Betulia Candy’ characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; numerous light red purple-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BETULIA CANDY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known asElatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Betulia Candy’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofBegonia×hiemalis ‘Betulia Bright Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,842. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plantsof ‘Betulia Bright Pink’ in a controlled greenhouse environment inErmelo, The Netherlands in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative cuttingstaken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlandssince February, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this newBegonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Betulia Candy’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Betulia Candy’ as a new and distinct Begoniaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Numerous light red purple-colored flowers that are held above        and beyond the foliar plane.    -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent,‘Betulia Bright Pink’, in flower color. Plants of the new Begonia havelighter red purple-colored flowers than plants of ‘Betulia Bright Pink’.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis‘Betulia Light’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,656. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants ofthe new Begonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Betulia Light’ inflower color as plants of ‘Betulia Light’ had white-colored flowers withpink-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Betulia Candy’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close up views of the upper andlower surfaces of typical leaves (right) and upper, lateral and lowersurfaces of developing and open flowers of ‘Betulia Candy’ (left).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Ermelo, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Begonia production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 13weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘Betulia Candy’.-   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of    Begonia×hiemalis ‘Betulia Bright Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.    No. 16,842.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of            20° C. Time to produce a rooted young plant: About five            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to orange brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density; plants of            the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading            and mounded plant habit; overall plant shape roughly            globular; flowers held above and beyond the foliar plane.        -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate            growth rate; suitable for 12-cm and larger containers; under            optimal environmental and cultural conditions, usually about            13 weeks are required to produce proportional 13-cm potted            plants from cuttings; vegetative shoots are formed at basal            nodes and flowering shoots are formed at upper nodes.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about            eleven lateral branches develop.        -   Plant height.—About 23.5 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 36.1 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 11.5 cm. Diameter: About            8 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Angle: About 45° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth, sparsely pubescent. Color,            developing: Close to N199C. Color, fully developed: Close to            152B strongly tinged with close to 181B.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About            8.8 cm. Width: About 8.2 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate to roughly            deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate to oblique. Margin:            Bi-serrate; laciniate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color:            Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C. Developing            leaves, lower surface: Close to 148A. Fully expanded leaves,            upper surface: Darker than between 147A and N189A; venation,            close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Between            148B and 191A; venation, close to 148A. Petioles: Length:            About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Sparsely to moderately pubescent. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 179A; at leaf attachment, close to            178A to 178B. Stipules: Length: About 1 cm. Width: About            7 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144C; venation, close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Semi-double rotate flowers            arranged in axillary compound cymes; usually about eight            flowers per cyme, numerous cymes in flower simultaneously            and about 450 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright to outwardly and are positioned above and beyond the            foliar plane. Natural flowering season: Plants begin            flowering about six weeks after pinching; plants flower            continuously year round regardless of nyctoperiod, however            plants are more freely flowering from autumn to spring.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on            the plant; flowers not persistent; flowering plants have            excellent postproduction longevity and typical maintain good            substance for about seven weeks under interior conditions.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 11.9 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.6 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: Ranging from            about 5 mm to 17 mm. Shape: Reniform, flattened. Color:            Close to 51B; towards the base, close to 51C.        -   Flowers.—Shape: Rotate; semi-double. Diameter: About 5.3 cm.            Depth (height): About 2.5 cm.        -   Tepals.—Quantity per flower: About four arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 3.6 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape:            Broadly oblong to broadly ovate or broadly obovate. Apex:            Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to N57D. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 54C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N57D;            with development, color becoming closer to 49B tinged with            close to 62B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 62A to            62C; with development, color becoming closer to 49A to 49B            and towards the base, tinged with close to 150D.        -   Tepaloids.—Quantity per flower: About eight arranged in            about two whorls. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm.            Shape: Obovate to broadly elliptic. Apex: Rounded. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to N57D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 54C. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to N57D; with development,            color becoming closer to 49B tinged with close to 62B. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 62A to 62C; with            development, color becoming closer to 49A to 49B and towards            the base, tinged with close to 150D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Angle: About 45° from lateral branch axis. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            About 40° from peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 144A to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None            observed.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Begonia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Begonia has not been observed on plants of the new Begonia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to    USDA Hardiness Zone 10.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Betulia Candy’as illustrated and described.